David Pastrnak, Bruins too much for Islanders in Game 1 victory

BOSTON — Too much David Pastrnak and too few of their own chances. It was that simple for the Islanders in Game 1 against the Bruins and a potential problem for the rest of this second-round series.

The Bruins won, 5-2, on Saturday night before a crazed crowd of 17,400 at TD Garden. The teams play similar defensively structured games and rely on creating offense off a heavy forecheck and straight-line skating. But the Bruins also have Pastrnak, who notched a hat trick, and his top-line mates, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, who totaled six points.

Tuukka Rask needed to make only 20 saves. Ilya Sorokin stopped 35 shots for the Islanders, who were outchanced 65-38.

"I didn’t feel like it was that many," coach Barry Trotz said. "I think they had a happy finger on the shot clock a little bit. They were just throwing pucks there. The chances were pretty even.

"The problem is we passed up some looks. When we can put it in play and drive the net, we’re looking for that next play a little bit too much tonight."

Game 2 will be played Monday night before the series shifts to Nassau Coliseum.

"I think we’ve just got to stick to what we do best and our game plan and what brought us here," said Anthony Beauvillier, who opened the scoring on the power play by deflecting defenseman Noah Dobson’s blue-line shot at 11:48 of the first period. He extended his goal streak to three games and point streak to five, with four goals and three assists.

"They’re a really good team and the further you’re going to go in the playoffs, the harder the games are going to get and the harder it will be to win," Beauvillier said. "They have a lot of firepower up front. It’s going to be our job to defend better and create more offense."

Long Beach’s Charlie McAvoy gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead at 6:20 of the third period as his blue-line shot went through a screen set by Nick Ritchie. Pastrnak completed his hat trick from the high slot at 15:50. Taylor Hall scored a power-play empty-netter at 18:35.

"I felt pretty good in the third," Trotz said. "That third goal, right after the power play, that one hurt. We sort of regained our composure, had a couple of looks and then the fourth one was a nail in the coffin."

Ritchie had exited the penalty box 18 seconds before McAvoy’s goal after serving the Bruins’ too-many-men penalty. The Islanders were held to two shots on that man advantage as the Bruins gained momentum from their strong penalty kill.

Pastrnak’s second goal gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead at 11:08 of the second period. For all of Sorokin’s playoff brilliance, he does have a penchant for giving up long rebounds, and that’s how Pastrnak scored twice, this time depositing the puck after Bergeron’s initial shot.

Pastrnak also scored on the power play with 23.3 seconds left in the first period — Andy Greene was called for high-sticking Charlie Coyle nine seconds earlier — as he connected from the left circle on the rebound of David Krejci’s initial shot.

Defenseman Adam Pelech quickly tied the score at 2 after Pastrnak’s second goal at 12:34 with a rising slap shot through traffic from the blue line. It was one of just four Islanders shots on goal in the second period.

"I heard them say before the series they feel like they’re playing themselves," Jordan Eberle said. "We feel the same way. They’re a detailed team, as are we. The playoffs come down to a chip in or a shot or whatever it is. But we’ve got to continue to stay on top of them and play the way that we know that got us here. We’re a veteran team and we’re going to regroup from this."

The Islanders went 5-2-1 against the Bruins in the regular season, winning all four at the Coliseum but dropping all three games after the Bruins acquired Hall from the Sabres. Five of those eight games also were tied entering the third period.

SEE PHOTOSGame 1 photos: Islanders at Bruins

It’s just the third time the teams have met in the playoffs and the first time since 1983.

"We played them eight times this year, so we have a good grasp of how each other plays and what we need to do to be successful against each other," Casey Cizikas said before the game. "The playoffs are a different animal and you’re playing each other consecutively and the stakes are bigger. At the end of the day, we know how we have to play to beat these guys."

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.